11alpha-sulfonyloxy steroids of the pregnane series



lla-SULFONYLOXY STEROIDS on THE PREGNANE saunas Josef Fried, Princeton, N.J., assignor to 01in Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia No Drawing. Original application March 10, 1954, Se-

rial No. 417,489, now Patent No. 2,852,511, dated September 16, 1958. Divided and this application April 2, 1958, Serial No. 725,786

8 Claims. (Cl. 260397.3)

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 417,489, filed March 10, 1954, now Patent No.'

2,852,511, granted September 16, 1958, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 343,243, filed March 18, 1953, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to the synthesis of valuable steroids. A

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an advantageous process of preparing new intermediates useful in preparing llp-hydroxy and ll-keto steroids of the pregnane (including pregnene) series, especially cortisone and hydrocortisone.

. Another object of this invention is the provision of certain compounds useful in the preparation of physiologically active steroids.

The compounds of this invention comprise Ila-sulfonyloxy steroids of the pregnane series.

- The process of this invention essentially comprises converting an lla-hydroxy steroid of the pregnane series into an lla-sulfonic acid ester thereof, especially the 110:-

tosylate or lla-mesylate thereof and converting the latterinto the corresponding A -compound. These A compounds can then be converted into the corresponding 9ahalo-l lfi-hydroxy compounds as disclosed in said appli-.

cation Serial No. 417,489, now 1118. Patent No. 2,852,511.

Among the compounds of this invention are thoseofthe general formula f CHgY n i= i J Luz v I the 4,5 position being double-bonded or saturated, where-' in R is -H, R is -OH, or together R and R is'=0"or a group convertible thereto by hydrolysis, Q is an organic sulfonyl'radical, Y'is a member of the class c'onsisting of and -O-(ac yl)-,- and Z is -a member ofathelclass consisting ofv -H'and (11) OH. [Amongithe groups convertible to a keto group are the acetal, especiallycyclic acetal, groups] p i The 1 lot-sulfonyloxy-steroids may be obtained from the corresponding lla-hydroxy steroid by reaction with the appropriate sulfonyl halide. containing a 2l-hydroxy group, this is done after protectionof this group by forming an esterlespecially lower fatty acid ester) thereof, e.g., byacetyl'ation with acetic anhydride in the presence of pyridine. include, inter alia,.alkyls'ulfonyl halides (such as methanesulfonyl chloride) and'arylsulfonyl halides (such as p-bromo-benzenesulfonyl chloride and, p-toluene-sulfonyl chloride). The preferred reagents are methanesulfonyl 1n the case of compounds These reactants nd p toluenesulfonyl halides, the resulting esters being referred to respectively as mesylates and tosylatesjf The conversion of the ll tfsulfonic acid esters of the steroids into the corresponding M -compound is bestef-IL fected by heating the ester with an alkali metal salt of a,- lower fatty acid in a substantially anhydrous liquid lower fatty acid, e.g., (anhydrous) sodium acetate in (glacial) acetic acid, or potassium formate in formic acid. This conversion may also beeifected by treatment with sodium iodide, potassium iodide or lithium bromide in acetone or glacial acetic acid, preferably the latter. These A compounds are then converted to the corresponding bromo-l lp-hydroxy'derivative by the method disclosed in" application Serial No; 417,489.

Among the llor-hydroxy steroids of the pregnane series utilizablein the process of this invention are A -pregnenei 1la,1706,21-triol-3,2'0-dione (also known 'as 11-epi-17ahydroxy-cbrticosterone, or epi F) lla-hydroxyproges terone, 1lor,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone, and epicorticos- 1 terone. The preparation of these compounds is disclosed;

for example m J. Am. Chem. Soc., 74, 3962 (1952).

For a clearer understanding ofthe foregoing general. and following detaileddescription of the invention, reference ismade to the following schematic analysis (employ-"I ing representative reagents, Ts being p-toluene sulfonyl,

andMs being methanesulfonyl):

CHQY

The'following examples are illustrative of the invention-1 (all temperatures being in centigrade, and all dilutionswith water unless indicated otherwise):

EXAMPLE -1 Preparation of A -pregnqdiene-17d,21-di0l-3,2O-di0ne 21-acetate (XI) (a) Epi-F 21 acetate (IV) from epi F (A pregnene 11,17&,21-tri0l-3,20-di0ne) (I ).To a solution of 50 g. pure epi-F [M.P. 217, [a] +117 (CHC15)] in 200f ml. anhydrous pyridine immersed in an ice bath is added,

drop-wise, with stirring, a solution of 14.3 ml. acetic anhydride in 40 ml. of pyridine. the addition, requiring about two kept at-O for four more hours, and is then allowed 10 warm up to room temperature (23) overnight. 'lhe;

Upon completion of Patdnted Mar-r291 1 J ornYi hours, the mixture isacetylation mixture is then concentrated in vacuo until most of the pyridine and acetic anhydride has evaporated, the resulting residue being dissolved in chloroform and the chloroform solution washed in the order given with water, dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium bicarbonate and again with water. The chloroform solution is dried with sodium sulfate and the solvent removed in vacuo. Thedried amorphous residue (about 69 g.), which represents the essentially pure 2l-acetate of epi-F, is used in the following reaction without further purification.

'(b) A -pregnene-IIa,I7m,21 triol 3,20 dione IIatosylate ZI-acetate (VII) from A -pregnene-IIa,I7a,2I- trial-3,20-dine ZI-acetate (IV).-The amorphous residue obtained in a (about 69 g.) is dissolved in 250 ml. anhydrous pyridine, and to the resulting solution immersed in an ice bath there is added drop-wise, with stirring, a solution of 70 g. pure p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in 100 ml. alcohol-free chloroform. The addition requires about two hours, after which the reaction mixtlire is allowed to remain at 0 for another four hours, and eventually at room temperature overnight. Ten grams of ice is added, and after one-half hour the solution is concentrated in vacuo to a small volume. The

resulting residue is taken up in chloroform and water; and the chloroform solution is washed with cold dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium bicarbonate and finally with water. The chloroform solution is dried over sodiurn sulfate and evaporated to dryness in' vacuo. The

crystalline residue (about 88.4 g.) is triturated with 200 ml. absolute ethanol, and the mixture is filtered after short cooling in the refrigerator. The first crop of crystals amounts to about 58.6 g., and melts at about 165-166 (dec.). An additional 5.6 g. of material is obtained by concentration of the mother liquors. A small sample, recrystallized for analysis from ethyl acetate and dried at 56, had the following properties: M.P., about 165.5-166"; [u] +1O6 (c., 1.0 in CHCl analysis [calculated for C H O S: C, 64.51; H, 6.81; S, 5. 3; found (approximately): C, 64.55; H, 6.84; S, 5.77].

(1): alternative) Deacetylation of A -pregnene-II 02,1 700, 2I-tri0l-3,20-di0 ne IIa-tosylate ZI-acetate (VII) .-To a solution of 115 mg. A -pregnene-1la,17a,21-triol-3,20- dione lla-tosylate 21-acetate in 1 ml. of chloroform is added 5.5 ml. methanol. The resulting mixture is warmed to 40, and to it is added a solution of 86 mg. potassium bicarbonate in 1.6 ml. Water. The yellow solution is allowed to remain at room temperature for 18 hours, and after the addition of 2 ml. water, is concentrated in vacuo to small volume. The residual mixture is extracted with chloroform and the chloroform solution is washed with water and dried over sodium sulfate. Removal of the solvent by evaporation leaves a residue (about 119 mg.) which crystallizes readily from acetone. The pure M-pregnene-llu,l7u,2l-triol-3,20- dione llu-tosylate (VIII) obtained has the following properties: M.P., about 130.5-131" (dec.); [al 70 (c., 1.0 in CHC1 analysis [calculated for C I-1 0 8: C, 65.12; H, 6.97; found (approximately): C, 65.29; H, 7.22].

A sample of this A -pregnene-11a,17a,21-triol-3,2O- dione lla-tosylate, on reacetylation with pyridine and acetic anhydride yields the 21-acetate (VII), M.P. 164-166 (dec.).

(c) A -pregnadiene-I7a,2I-diol 3,20 dione 21- acetate (XI) from A -pregnane-IIa,I7u,21-tri0l-3,20- dione I1 oz-tosylate 21 -acetate (VII).-A solution of'58.6 g. A -pregnene-11a,17a,21-triol-3,2O-dione llu-tosylate 2l-acetate and 117.2 g. anhydrous sodium acetate inone 1. of glacial acetic acid is heated underreflux for one hour. After evaporation of most of the acetic acid in vacuo, the residue is taken up in chloroform and extracted with water then with dilute sodium bicarbonate and again with water. The chloroform solution containing the desired A -pregnadiene-l711,21-diol-3,20-

dione 21-acetate (XI) is dried over sodium sulfate, and the"chlor6f6rii1"is removed'in vacuo. The crystalline residue (about 40.6 g.) is triturated with ml. of acetone, and the resulting suspension is filtered with suction. Recrystallization of the dried crystals (about 33 g.) from ethyl acetate yields pure A -pregnadiene-17a,2l-diol- 3,20-dione 21-acetate, having the following properties: M.P., about 234-2355", [a] +117 (c., 1.0 in CHCI [calculated for C H O C, 71.50; H, 7.77; found (approximately): C, 71.57; H, 7.85].

(c: alternative) A -pregnadiene-170:,21-diol- 3,20- dione 21-acetate is also prepared by refluxing a solution of mg. M-pregnene-l1a,17a,21'triol-3,20-dione 11atosylate 21-acetate and 250 mg. of potassium formate in 215 ml. 98% formic acid for one hour, and treating the resulting mixture as described in c. A -pregnadiene- 17a,21-diol-3,20-dione 21-acetate can then be converted to 9abromo-A -pregnene-11,3,17a,21-triol-3,20-dione 21- acetate as detailedin Example 1 of application Serial No.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of M -pregnadiene-3,20-dione (XIII) CHCla); and analysis [calculated for C H O S: C,

69.42; H, 7.43; S, 6.61; found (approximately): C, 69.23; H, 7.25; S, 6.61].

(b)" A -pregnadiene-3,20-di0ne (XIII) from 111:; tosyloxyprogesterone (IX ).'-84 mg. lla-tosyloxyprogesheroine is reacted with anhydrous sodium acetate (167 nig.)'in glacial acetic acid (3 ml.) and the reaction mixture worked up as described hereinbefore in Example 1. The result ing product about (51 mg.) cannot be purified solely by crystallization. It istherefore dissolved in 1 m1.

benzene and 4 ml. hexane, and chromatographed on 1 g'.

sulfuric acid-washed alumina. A mixture of 1 part benzene and 4 parts hexane elutes about 39 mg. of A -pregnadiene 3,20-dione, which after recrystallization from ether-hexane has the following properties: M.P., about 121-123; [a] |151 (c.,0.85 in acetone); +171 (c., 0.58 in CHCl Analysis [calculated for C H O C, 80.77; H, 8.98; found (approximately) C, 81.00, H, 8.84].

Shoppee and Reichstein (Helv 24, 351 (1941)) have reported a M.P. of 122 and an [d]1)+145 for this substance. x a: alternative) lla-hydroxyprogesterone may be convertedinto lla-mes yloxyprogesterone by reaction with methanesulfonyl chloride as described in Example 5 hereinafter, andthe latter converted to A -pregnadiene- 3,20-dione' in the same manner as llu-tosyloxyprogesterone.

EXAMPLE 3 7 Preparation of A -pregnadiene-2I-0l-3,20-dione ZI-acetate (XIV) (a) Epicorticosterone 21 -acetate (VI) from epicqrticos; teron'e (III).-347mg. of epicorticosterone is acetylated in 4 ml. anhydrous pyridine with 0.1035 ml. acetic anhydride at 0 for 18 hours. The practically pure, amorphous epicorticosterone acetate (about 400 mg.) is isolated treated with 40Oimg. "o'fp-toluenesulfonyl'chlorideiin 5 ml. pyridine, the reaction mixture worked up as'described hereinbefore in Example 1. The resulting tosylatei(about 492 mg.) cannot be obtained in crystalline form. It is therefore subjected .tov the next step without. further purification.

. (c) 13 -pregnadiene-21-0l-3,20-dione ZI-acetate (XIV) from Epicorticosterone ZI-acetate 11u-t0sylate :(X).-492 mg. of epicorticosterone 21-acetate llu-tosylate as obtained in b is treated with 986 mg. anhydrous sodium acetate in 9 m1. glacial acetic acid and the reaction mixture worked up as described hereinbefore in Example .1"; The residue (about 390 mg.) crystallizes readily from acetone, and after another crystallization from that solvent yields about' 100 mg. of pure A -pregnadiene-21- ol-3,20-dione acetate having the following properties: M.P., about 158.5l59.5; [a] +128 (c., 0.98 in acetone) and -l-150 (c., 1.13 in CHCl analysis [calculated for C H C, 74.56; H, 8.16; found (approximately): C, 74.79; H, 8.11].

Shoppee and Reichstein (Helv., 26, 1316 (1943)) report M.P. 159 and [u] +129 (acetone) for the compound.

An additional amount of pure product is obtained by chromatographing the mother liquors from benzene (5 m1.) on alumina 5 g. and eluting the A -pregnadiene- 2l-ol-3,20-dione acetate with benzene.

1 EXAMPLE 4 "-M-pregr'tne-IIa,17a,21-tri0l-3,20dione Ila-mesylate 21- acetate (XXX) from M-pregnene-l 1 0a,] 711,21 -tri0l-3,20

dione 21 acetate (IV) I 264 g. of the amorphous residue of A -pregnene-11u,

l7 ,2l-triol-3,20- dione 2l-acetate (IV), obtained in section a of Example 1, is dissolved in 1050 ml. chloroform and 255 ml. pyridine, and to the resulting solution immersed in an ice bath is added over a twenty-minute .period a solution of 80 ml. pure methanesulfonyl chloride 'in 250 ml. chloroform. The resulting mixture is allowed followed by a dilute sodium bicarbonate wash and a third water wash. The chloroform solution is dried over sodium sulfate, and concentrated to approximately 200 ml.

Upon addition of 1 liter absolute ethanol, crystallization ensues rapidly, and is allowed to go to completion in the refrigerator. Filtration produces a first crop of crystals (about 244 g.), and concentration of the mother liquors in vacuo gives a second crop (about 41 g.). The material obtained in this manner melts at 157-158". An additional recrystallization affords analytically pure material having the following properties: M.P. about 159-160", with browning; [a] +1l9 (c., 1.09 in CHCl analysis [calculated for C H O S (482.56): C, 59.73; H, 7.10; S, 6.64; found(approximately): C, 59.47; H, 7.13; S, 6.36]. This material can be converted into A pregnadiene-l7a,2l-diol-3,20-dione 21-acetate (XI) as described in Example 1.

EXAMPLE 5 A -pregnadiene-1 7,21 -dz'ol-3,20-dione (XII) from M-pregnene-I 1 0a,] 701,21 -triol-3,20-dione 11a tosylate 21 -acetate (VII) over sodium sulfate." Crystallizatiomof theyresultirig I residue (about 22 mg.) from acetone and finally from ethanol yields A -pregnadiene-l7a,21-di01-3,20-

dione, melting at about 244-247 (cf. section 0: alternative, Example 1). r EXAMPLE 6 I A -pregnene-11a,17a,21-tri0l-3,20-dione 11 a,21 -dimesylate (XXXI) from epi-F (I) 4 To a solution of 10 g. epi-F (I) in ml. anhydrous pyridine is added at 0 a solution of 6.6 ml. methanesulfonyl chloride in 10 ml. chloroform. The reaction mix ture is allowed to remain at 0 for fifteen hours, after which 1 g. of ice is added. After an additional one-half hour at 0, the mixture is concentrated in vacuo to a small volume. The resulting residue is taken up in chloroform and water, and the chloroform solution is washedwith cold dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium bicarbonate solution, and finally with water. The chloroform 'solu'- tion isthen dried over sodium" sulfate and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The crystalline residue (about 12.4 g.) is recrystallized from 95 ethanol, yielding the analytically pure dimesylate, have the following properties: M.P. about 162 (dec.); [a] +97 (c., 0.98 in dioxane); analysi [calculated for C H O S (502.62): C,

(a) Epi corticosterone 11a mesylate 21 acetate (XXXV) from epi-corticosterone ZI-acetate (VI).-T0 a solution of 3.27 g. epi-corticosterone 2l-acetate, obtained as described in section a of Example 3, in 40 ml. pyridine is added at 0 a solutionof 0.953 111. of methanesulfonyl chloride in 7 ml. chloroform." After the reaction mixture has stood in the refrigerator for 17 hours, a few small pieces of ice areadded,.and the mixture is allowed to remain at 0 for an additional half hour. The mixture is then concentrated to small volume in vacuo, taken up with chloroform and the chloroform solution extracted with dilute acid, sodium bicarbonate solution and finally with water. The chloroform solution is then dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. A residue of about 3.73 g. results, which crystallizes from absolute ethanol. Pure epicorticosterone lla-mesylate 21-acetate has the following properties: M.P. about 156-157 (dec.); [all +144' (c., 0.92 in CHCl analysis [calculated for C l-1 0.8 (466.57): C, 61.78; H, 7.34; found (approximately): C, 62.52; H, 7.071.

(b) M1901) pregnadiene-ZI-ol-3,20-dione 21 -acetate (XIV) from epi-corticosterone IIa-mesylate ZI-acetate (XXX V).-A solution of 1.92 g. epi-corticosterone 11amesylate 21-acetate and 3.84 g. anhydrous sodium acetate in 40 ml. glacial acetic acid is refluxed for one hour. The reaction mixture is worked up as described in section c of Example 3. Crystallization of the resulting residue (about 1.66 g.) from acetone afiords A -pregnadiene- 21-ol-3,20-dione 21-acetate in 84% yield.

EXAMPLE 8 Preparation of A -pregnadiene-17a-0l-3,20-di0ne (a) I1a-t0syloxy-17a-hydroxyprogesterone (LIV) from 110a,]7e-dihydroxyprogesterone (XXVI ).l.2 g. 110, l7a-dihydroxy-progesterone is treated with 1.4 g. p-toluene sulfonyl chloride, and the reaction mixture worked up as described in section b of Example 1. The resulting tosylate (weighing 1.7 g.), after recrystallization tion of Example 1. crystallizes readily from acetone, yielding about 520 mg.

'. [calculated for C H O 7 Tiitdde, has the following-properties; ;M.P. about 143- 146" (dee); [0511;23-4-48" (c., 0.29 in CHCI 2133 229 m (e=26,500), 274 mp (e=606), 2 85 Ill/L (6:305).

Nuiol m... 3.03 :4 5.88 5.99 [.L, 6.05m analysis: [calculated for C H O S (500.63): C, 67.17; H, 7.25; S, 6.44; found (approxi mately): C, 67.08; H, 7.52; S, 6.35].

(a: alternative) 1 1 tz-mesyloxy-l 7 a-ll ydroxyprogesler- 0rte (L'X) from I1a-I7a-dilzydroxyprogesterone (XXVI). -117 mg. 11a,17a-dihydroxyprogesterone is dissolved in 5 ,ml. pyridine, cooled to 0, and 0.04 ml. methanesulfonyl chloride (1.5 equivalents) is added. The mixture is left standing in the icebox for 8 hours. The excess methanesulfonyl chloride is then destroyed with ice, the mixture dilute with chloroform, washed with 1 N HCl, sodium bicarbonate solution and water, dried over sodium sulfate, and evaporated. On crystallization from ethanol there is obtained about 65 mg. of the product,

having the following properties: M.P. about ISO-152 (dec.); [u] +64 (c'.='.49 in CI-ICl Ami? 5.90 p, 6.04: u, 6.11 ,u, 6.24 ,u.

analysis [calculated for C H O S (424.54): C, 62.24; H. 7.60; S, 7.55; found: C, 62.11; H, 7.71; S, 7.11]. The mother liquors yield about 50 mg. additional product.

(b) A -pregnadiene-17a-ol-3,20-dione (LV from 11 m-tosyloxy-l 7 a-hydroxyprogesterone (LIV) .-1. 19 g. lla-tosyloxy-l7a-hydroxyprogesterone is treated with 2.4 g. anhydrous sodium acetate in 25 ml. glacial acetic acid, and the reaction mixture worked up as described in sec- The residue (about 693 mg.)

pure A -pregnadiene-l7ot-ol-3,20-dione, having the {following properties: M.P. about 214-216 [a] +67 (c., 0.82 in CHCI Ami? 2.88 a (OH) 5.87:,u '(20-ketone), 5.99 p. 6.04 p. (A -3-ketone); analysis (328.44): C, 76.79; H, 8.59; found (approximately): C, 76.52; H, 8.46].

Alternatively, '1lu mesyloxy-lhshydroxyprogesterone can be converted :into A -pregnadiene17a-o1=3,20. 'dione by the foregoing procedure.

The :invention may be otherwise variously embodied with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A process for the production of 9(11)-dehydroprogesterone which comprises reacting Ila-(hydrocarbonsulfonyloxy)-progesterone with an alkali-metal salt of a lower fatty acid to produce 9(l1)-dehydroprogesterone. i

2. A process for the production of a 9(11)-dehydro steroid of the pregnane series which comprises reacting an Ila-(organic sulfonyloxy) steroid of the pregnane series with an alkali metal salt of a lower fatty acid to produce the 9(l1)-dehydro steroid.

3. A steroid of the general formula CHaY wherein Q is an organic sulfonyl radical, Y is selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, lower alkanoyloxy and lower alkane sulfonyloxy, and Z is selected from References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hogg et a1. July 28,1953

OTHER REFERENCES Meystre et al.: Chem. Abst., vol. 43, col. 1783 (1949). 

1. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 9(11)-DEHYDRO PROGESTERONE WHICH COMPRISES REACTING 11A-(HYDROCARBONSULFONYLOXY-)-PROGESTERONE WITH AN ALKALI-METAL SALT OF A LOWER FATTY ACID TO PRODUCE 9(11)-DEHYDROPROGESTERONE.
 3. A STEROID OF THE GENERAL FORMULA 